STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION SKILL 54: MAKE ARTICLES AGREE WITH NOUNS

LONGMAN COMPLETE COURSE FOR THE TOEFL TEST

STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

SKILL 54: MAKE ARTICLES AGREE WITH NOUNS

The definite article (the) is used for both singular and plural nouns, so agreement is not a problem with the definite article. However, because the use of the indefinite article is different for singular and plural nouns, you must be careful of agreement between the indefinite article and the noun. One very common agreement error is to use the singular indefinite article (a or an) with a plural noun.

He saw a* new movies.

They travelled to a* nearby mountains.

Do you have another* books?

In these examples, you should not have a and an because the nouns are plural. The following sentences are possible corrections of the sentences above.

He saw a new movie. He saw new movies.	(singular) (plural)
They travelled to a nearby mountain. They travelled to nearby mountains.	(singular) (plural)
Do you have another book? Do you have other books?	(singular) (plural)

The following chart states the key point for you to remember about the agreement of articles with nouns

 

EXERCISE 54: Each of the following sentences contains a or an. Circle each a or an. Draw an arrow to the noun it describes. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

……………	3	It is necessary to have a farm or land of your own.
……………	4	He must contact a members of the club.
……………	5	You will need a pen and a pencil.
……………	6	He is responsible for bringing a number of items.
……………	7	You must write a report on a subjects of your choice.
……………	8	They crossed through several forests and a stream.
……………	9	There will be another important lessons tomorrow.
……………	10	He could not give me a good reasons for what he did.

ANSWER KEY

1	C
2	I	(pills should be pill)
3	C
4	I	(members should be member)
5	C
6	C
7	I	(subjects should be subject)
8	C
9	I	(lessons should be lesson)
10	I	(reasons should be reason)